The Groundtruth from a combat veteran, backed up by independent research and historical study. Information beneficial to the Troops. And a touch of objective politics, as it relates to the subjects at hand.

This site is unabashedly Pro-American and Pro-Military however none of the views expressed here are to be considered as endorsed, proposed, or supported by the Department of Defense or any other Agency, government, public, or private. http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/

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Shadow of the Sword

SSgt Workman is featured in the Hall of Heroes and a book review on this from Marine Till Death that read it as it was written: http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/home/2008/12/shadow-of-the-sword-by-jeremiah-workman-w-john-bruning.html

http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/home/2008/12/ssgt-jeremiah-workman-navy-cross-usmc-iraq-marion-oh.html and links to prior articles.

284 posts from June 2012

Saturday, June 30, 2012

Witnesses told VOA Saturday that members of the Ansar Dine Islamist group are attacking the historic sites with axes and other instruments.

Witnesses say the mausoleum of a revered Muslim saint, Sidi Mahmoud, has been destroyed. Timbuktu has been listed by UNESCO as an endangered world heritage site.

UNESCO says Timbuktu was once an intellectual and spiritual capital, as well as a center for the propagation of Islam throughout Africa in the 15th and 16th centuries.

UNESCO said on its website Thursday that it had decided to place Timbuktu on its endangered list because its sites were “threatened by the armed conflict in the region.”

The U.N. agency says it is concerned about trafficking in cultural objects from Timbuktu's sites, especially “important ancient manuscripts” that could be “looted and smuggled abroad by unscrupulous dealers.”

Timbuktu is home to thousands of ancient manuscripts, preserved in family homes and private libraries under the care of religious scholars. VoA.

Officials in eastern Afghanistan say militants, including suicide bombers, stormed a remote district early Friday, sparking a gunbattle that killed 10 people.

The Taliban took responsibility for the attack in the Kamdesh district of Nuristan province.

The provincial governor's spokesman Muhammad Zarin told VOA that at least 17 militants crossed the border from Pakistan and attacked a compound that housed government offices and residences. The dead included four civilians and six security personnel. The wife of a local police officer was among the four women who were killed.

At least 20 civilians, including children, were wounded in the attack.

Afghan authorities say the nearly 12-hour gunfight ended when security forces killed all of the attackers.

Officials said NATO provided air support to Afghan forces battling the militants.

Nuristan's Kamdesh district borders Pakistan's northwest. The porous Afghan-Pakistani border is a known safe haven for Taliban and al-Qaida-linked militants who often move freely between the two countries.

Recent attacks in Afghanistan have raised concerns of whether Afghan forces will be prepared to take over security responsibility of the entire country once foreign combat troops withdraw by the end of 2014. VoA.

India has again said that the 2008 Mumbai attacks could not have been carried out without “state support,” accusing longtime rival Pakistan of helping to coordinate the siege on India's financial hub.

Indian authorities arrested Indian-born Sayed Zabiuddin, who goes by Abu Hamza and Abu Jindal, on June 21 on suspicion of helping plan the attacks that killed 166 people in Mumbai. Zabiuddin is reportedly a member of the Pakistan-based militant group, Lashkar-e-Taiba, which is blamed for the attacks.

Home Minister P. Chidambaram told reporters in New Delhi Friday that during his interrogation, Zabiuddin confessed that he trained the attackers from a “control room” in Pakistan.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare) Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

The bus was traveling from Iran to Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province when Thursday's blast occurred. The province has seen sectarian violence between majority-Sunni Muslims and minority Shi'ites.

The attack wounded at least 30 people.

Quetta police chief Mir Zubair said Thursday, “It's an open war. Security forces are ready to sacrifice themselves. We are trying our best to stop such attacks.”

A day earlier, a bomb exploded at a railway station in Baluchistan, killing at least five people and wounding more than 20 others in Sibi city.

Another blast killed at least eight Pakistani soldiers in the country's northwest early Thursday.

A roadside bomb exploded as a paramilitary convoy was passing through the town of Bara in the Khyber tribal agency.

No one claimed responsibility for the blast, but Pakistan's military has been battling Taliban and al-Qaida-linked militants in the country's northwestern tribal region.

The attack comes a day after the Pakistani Taliban released a video showing the heads of 17 Pakistani soldiers captured during a cross-border attack in the Upper Dir tribal agency. VoA.

The U.S. House of Representatives voted Thursday to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress for refusing to turn over documents about a failed gun running scheme between the United States and Mexico.

The vote was along party lines, with 255 House members voting in favor and 67 opposing it.

But most Democratic House members walked out of the Capitol building, refusing to participate in the vote. They said the vote was a stunt that takes attention away from what they call much more important matters. (such as their previous investigations into baseball parties and drugs)

The White House also condemned the vote as political theater and defended Holder as an excellent attorney general. A statement noted that the Justice Department has already turned over 7,600 pages to congressional investigators and says there is "no evidence" Holder was involved in the gun running scheme.

Many Republicans say they believe the White House is withholding important information about the gun running and say top Justice Department officials may have lied about what they know.

Holder is the first sitting Cabinet member ever to be held in contempt of Congress. He calls Thursday's vote regrettable and misguided. Holder said the gun running began under the previous administration of President George W. Bush and that he, Holder, put a stop to it when he found out about it.

Under the program known as “Fast and Furious,” federal agents had guns smuggled into Mexico "hoping it would lead them directly to arms traffickers."

But U.S. agents lost track of the weapons once they crossed the border. The scheme was exposed when two of the guns were used in the murder of a U.S. border agent. Many believe the program was designed to build support for tighter gun laws in the United States, as evidenced by left-leaning news media that publicized the number of US purchased guns used in Mexican drug violence during the period leading up to the exposure.

Despite Thursday's vote, Holder is unlikely to face criminal prosecution because he heads the Justice Department. A second vote on civil contempt would let the House go to court to try and force Holder to turn over the additional documents. VoA.

A subsidiary of U.S. defense contractor United Technologies Corporation, or UTC, pleaded guilty Thursday to criminal charges of selling Communist China hardware to help it build a military attack helicopter.

FORT BRAGG, N.C., June 28, 2012 - A soldier is dead and two others are wounded following a shooting incident here today.

During a 525th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade unit safety briefing, a soldier shot another member of the unit and then turned the weapon on himself. The shooter was injured and is in custody. A third soldier who was in the area was also slightly wounded in the shooting.

"This is a tragedy for our community. We don't yet know the reasons for the shooting, but are working with the unit and the affected Families to help them through this difficult period," said Col. Kevin Arata, 18th Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg Public Affairs Officer.

"Our prayers are with those who have been affected by this terrible incident," Arata said.

Fort Bragg law enforcement and emergency responders secured the scene within minutes. Special agents from the Army Criminal Investigation Command are conducting an investigation.

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Even before they seized full control of the Malian city of Gao this week, Islamist terrorists imposed sharia law on the town's residents.

VOA French to Africa reporter Idriss Fall, who spent several days in Gao last week, found the restrictions extended to the city's lone operating school, where militants forced teachers to segregate boys and girls.

Fall spoke to the head of the school, Amadou Sidi Toure:

Fall says that he noticed the classes are segregated. Toure says, “That is because the Islamists demanded that boys not be seated next to girls.”

The schools in Gao were shut down in April when the Tuareg separatist group MNLA and Islamist group Ansar Dine seized control of northern Mali. However, Toure and other teachers organized an informal school for students trying to get their high school diploma or trade certificates.

Maiga says, “I am almost veiled!” and laughs. She adds, “It is our tradition to wear the veil on our shoulders.” Fall says, “But the Islamists want you to wear it over your head, baring only your eyes.” Maiga replies, “Yes, but I don't, because I prefer it this way, and I have never had any problem.”

Fall spoke to several students at the school who said they do not mind being segregated. One girl, Siatou Toure, said she does not mind wearing a veil either, although, she adds, she feels forced to wear it.

As noted in an earlier report, Fall found that some residents of Gao have defied efforts by Ansar Dine and the al-Qaida-linked group MUJAO (The Unity Movement for Jihad in West Africa) to enforce their strict form of sharia, or Islamic law. It remains to be seen whether that defiance will continue now that the MUJAO group has driven the MNLA out of Gao. VoA.

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces detained one insurgent during an engagement in Terezayi District. They also detained an insurgent in Sperah District. The detained suspects were transferred to a base for questioning.

Afghan Uniformed Police and coalition forces killed one insurgent during a small arms engagement in Bak District.

Kunar Province

Afghan National Police and coalition forces detained one insurgent during an engagement in Ghaziabad District. The detained suspect was transferred to a base for questioning.

Pakistani authorities say a bomb has exploded at a railway station in the southwestern province of Baluchistan, killing at least five people and wounding more than 20 others.

The attack happened late Wednesday as a train pulled into the station in Sibi city. There were no immediate claims of responsibility and no word of any arrests. Baluchistan has experienced years of violence by separatists who demand a greater share of the Pakistani region's natural resources. Taliban terrorists also have been active in the province.

Hours before Wednesday's bombing, Pakistani Interior Ministry chief Rehman Malik said his government recently handed evidence to Indian authorities of contacts between Baloch separatists and handlers in India.

New Delhi denies Pakistani charges of Indian involvement in Baluchistan. VoA.

Witnesses in northern Mali say at least 20 people were killed Wednesday in clashes between Islamist militants and rebels fighting for a separate Tuareg state in the region.

A VOA reporter said the al-Qaida-linked group MUJAO (The Unity Movement for Jihad in West Africa) seized control of a key city of Gao from the separatist group MNLA (National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad) after exchanging heavy weapons fire throughout the day. He said the exact toll was not immediately clear as many were injured, among them civilians. He said after the separatist rebels were driven out of Gao, life resumed its course, with shops opening and traders returning to their places in the market.

The MNLA and the Islamist group Ansar Dine seized control of northern Mali earlier this year. Both groups are made up of Tuareg tribesmen from different various clans. But while the MNLA wants an independent Tuareg state named Azawad in Northern Mali, the Islamist militants say they want a unified state of Mali governed by sharia law. The two sides have clashed in recent weeks.

In the capital Bamako Wednesday, refugees from northern Mali protested for a second straight day outside the prime minister's office calling for government intervention in the north.

Hundreds gathered for a sit-in, chanting “Free the North” and “Send the army to the North.”

The Malian army is struggling to reorganize after a coup in March of this year.

Since then, an interim government has taken control and is working to organize new elections. The Tuareg groups have used the unrest in the capital to seize control of the north.

Leaders of the regional group of states ECOWAS said they will not tolerate the situation and have offered troops to help Mali's government quell the rebellion in the north. VoA.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare) Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Britain's Queen Elizabeth has engaged in an historic handshake with a former leader of the separatist group that waged a bloody decades-long fight for Northern Ireland's independence from British rule.

The handshake between the monarch and Martin McGuinness, a former leader of the Irish Republican Army-turned deputy first minister of Northern Ireland, took place Wednesday at the start of a private social event in a Belfast theater. The two were expected to exchange a public handshake after the event.

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces killed one insurgent during a small arms engagement in Gelan District. The insurgent was carrying improvised explosive making materials. Coalition forces also killed two insurgents in an engagement in Qarah Bagh District.

Khowst Province

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces detained two insurgents during an engagement in Sperah District. The detained suspects were transferred to a base for questioning.

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces killed six insurgents and detained three in Pul-E Alam District during a small arms engagement.

Nangarhar Province

Afghan National Army soldiers and coalition forces detained 12 insurgents during an engagement in Khugyani District. The detained suspects were attempting to emplace IEDs. The detained suspects were transferred to a base for questioning.

Pakistani intelligence officials say a U.S. drone strike has killed at least six suspected terrorists in the country's northwest.

Two missiles hit a compound in the Shawal area of the North Waziristan tribal agency on Tuesday, in the latest strike to hit the al-Qaida and Taliban militant stronghold.

Officials told VOA's Deewa Radio that those targeted in the attack belonged to the al-Qaida-linked Haqqani network, believed to be based in North Waziristan. U.S. and Afghan officials blame the militant group for numerous attacks in neighboring Afghanistan.

Tuesday's drone strike comes despite Pakistani demands for the United States to end such attacks. Islamabad says they violate the country's sovereignty, while Washington considers drone attacks a key tool in its war against al-Qaida and the Taliban.

The Long War Journal, an online publication that reports on the global war against terrorism, says that in 2011 the U.S. carried out 64 drone strikes in Pakistan's northwestern tribal region. VoA.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has acknowledged that his country is in a “state of war” as activists reported the heaviest fighting between government and rebels forces near the capital since the start of a 15-month opposition uprising.

Syria's state news agency SANA says Mr. Assad made the comment Tuesday as he addressed his new cabinet. It says he told the ministers that all government policies and resources must be used to secure victory in the war.

Earlier, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told VOA the Syrian military fired artillery in several rebellious suburbs near central Damascus for the first time on Tuesday. The rights group also reported fighting in the cities of Daraa, Homs, Aleppo, and Deir Ezzor, as well as in Hama and Idlib provinces. The Observatory said Tuesday's violence killed at least 62 people, more than half of them civilians.

U.N. peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous told Security Council members the situation in Syria is too dangerous for U.N. monitors to resume work there. Diplomats at Tuesday's briefing quote Ladsous as saying the observer mission will remain suspended, as it has been since June 16. The U.N. official also said the Syrian government refuses to allow the monitors to use satellite telephones, which he called “key tools” of the operation.

The almost 300 unarmed military observers in Syria had come under attack several times with gunfire and bombs in the weeks before they stopped their patrols. The U.N. Security Council must decide by July 20 whether to renew the mission's mandate.

The Observatory has a network of contacts in Syria including rebels, activists and state security members. The group has told VOA that Syria's conflict has killed more than 15,000 people. Its reports of fighting and casualties cannot be independently confirmed. VoA.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

BAGRAM, Afghanistan (June 26, 2012) – Afghan and coalition forces killed seven insurgents, detained six and located a weapons cache during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, June 25.

Ghazni Province

Afghan National Army and coalition forces detained one insurgent during an engagement in Andar District. The detained suspect was found with improvised explosive devise making materials. The detained suspect was transferred to a base for questioning.

Khowst Province

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces detained one insurgent during an engagement in Khowst District. The detained suspect was transferred to a base for questioning.

Logar Province

Afghan National Police and coalition forces detained three insurgents during an engagement in Muhammad Aghah District. The detained suspects were transferred to a base for questioning.

Paktika Province

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces killed four insurgents during a small arms engagement in Giyan District. Coalition forces also killed one insurgent during an engagement in Bermal District.

Afghan National Army soldiers and coalition forces discovered a weapons cache in Gardez District. The cache contained small arms ammunition.

Afghan Uniformed Police and coalition forces detained one insurgent in Gardez District. The detained suspect was transferred to a base for questioning.

Wardak Province

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces killed two insurgents during a small arms engagement in Sayyidabad District.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare) Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare) Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare) Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare) Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

Monday, June 25, 2012

Dr. James N. Miller was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy on May 25, 2012. He serves as the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy and provides advice and assistance to the Secretary of Defense and Deputy Secretary of Defense on all matters concerning the formulation of national security and defense policy and the integration and oversight of DoD policy and plans to achieve national security objectives.

Prior to his confirmation, Dr. Miller served as Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy. Previous positions include serving as Senior Vice President and Director of Studies at the Center for a New American Security (2007-2009), Senior Vice President (2003-2007) and Vice President (2000-2003) at Hicks and Associates, Inc.; Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Requirements, Plans, and Counterproliferation Policy (1997-2000); assistant professor at Duke University (1992-1997); and senior professional staff member for the House Armed Services Committee (1988-1992).

A member of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, Dr. Miller has served as an advisor to the Combating WMD Panel of DoD’s Threat Reduction Advisory Committee and the Defense Science Board, as senior associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and as senior associate member at St. Antony’s College, Oxford. In 2000 he received the Department of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service.

Dr. Miller received a B.A. degree with honors in economics from Stanford University, and Master’s and Ph.D. degrees in public policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Mr. Frank Kendall is the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics. He has more than 35 years of experience in engineering, management, defense acquisition and national security affairs in private industry, government and the military. He has been a consultant to defense industry firms, non-profit research organizations, [lobbyist] and the Department of Defense in the areas of strategic planning, engineering management, and technology assessment. Mr. Kendall was Vice President of Engineering for Raytheon Company, where he was responsible for management direction to the engineering functions throughout the company and for internal research and development. Before assuming his current position, Mr. Kendall was a Managing Partner at Renaissance Strategic Advisors, a Virginia-based aerospace and defense sector consulting [lobbyist]firm.

Within government, Mr. Kendall held the position of Director of Tactical Warfare Programs in the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the position of Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Strategic Defense Systems. Mr. Kendall is a former member of the Army Science Board and the Defense Intelligence Agency Science and Technology Advisory Board and he has been a consultant [lobbyist] to the Defense Science Board and a Senior Advisor to the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Mr. Kendall also spent ten years on active duty with the Army serving in Germany, teaching Engineering at West Point, and holding research and development positions.

Mr. Kendall is an attorney and has been active in the field of human rights, working primarily on a pro bono basis. He has worked with Amnesty International USA, where he served as a member of the Board of Directors, with Human Rights First, for whom he was an observer at Guantanamo, and with the Tahirih Justice Center, where he was Chair of the Board of Directors.

Mr. Kendall is a Distinguished Graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and he holds a Masters Degree in Aerospace Engineering from California Institute of Technology, a Master of Business Administration degree from C.W Post Center of Long Island University, and a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center.

Khost province suffered a total of 32 wounded and 14 Afghans killed when a suicide bomber detonated an explosive device in the heart of Khost city during peak business hours.

"Such barbaric attacks kill the innocent people of Afghanistan and put more of our poor people in grief. The enemies of Islam and peace must know that by such barbaric attacks like the one that happened in Khost city. They can't break the determination of the Afghan nation to bringing prosperity and peace in our communities," said Abdul Jabbar Naeemi, Khost provincial governor.

Despite the efforts of the enemies of Government of Afghanistan, ISAF forces in eastern Afghanistan remain committed to partnering with their Afghan National Security Forces counterparts to secure a stable and prosperous future for the Afghan people.

A huge cheer went up from Tahrir square where supporters of Mr. Morsi gathered.

Mr. Morsi defeated former Mubarak-era prime minister Ahmed Shafiq.

Egypt's election commission announced Sunday that Mr. Morsi won nearly 52 percent of the vote, beating Ahmed Shafiq. Mr. Morsi will become Egypt's first freely elected president.

The election commission was supposed to release the results Thursday, but it said it needed more time to investigate fraud allegations against both candidates.

Ahead of Sunday's announcement, officials deployed extra security forces to Cairo streets and key state institutions. Supporters of both Mr. Morsi and Mr. Shafiq had threatened a backlash should their candidate lose the closely contested election. So far though, there have been no reports of violence.

VoA.

The Muslim Brotherhood is an international Islamist organization which calls for implementation of Sharia law, the separation of sexes, and the end of Western influences in the Middle East. It had promised violent protests if their candidate had not been declared the winner.

BAGRAM, Afghanistan (June 25, 2012) – Afghan and coalition forces killed five insurgents, detained one and located a weapons cache during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the past 24 hours, June 24.

Ghazni Province

Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces killed three insurgent during small arms engagement in Giro District. Coalition forces also killed two insurgents in Qarah Bagh District. The insurgents were preparing mortars for an indirect fire attack.

Afghan National Army and coalition forces detained one insurgent during an engagement in Nurgaram District. The detained suspect was found with IED making materials. The detained suspect was transferred to a base for questioning.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare) Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

KAJAKI, Afghanistan – The brotherhood and friendly rivalry between sailors and Marines spans across the history of both military branches. Whether it’s a sailor jokingly calling a Marine a “jarhead” or a Marine retorting with calling the sailor a “squid,” the two branches are always closely linked. Corpsmen, who support both the Navy and Marine Corps, often find themselves stuck in the crossfire.

Service members from the Army, Navy and Air force, can find it difficult to attach to a Marine infantry company because they must earn the respect of the Marines around them. They have to be able to prove themselves.

Pictured: Petty Officer 3rd Class Norberto Zamora, a hospital corpsman with 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, Regimental Combat Team 6, patrols to a new compound during Operation Jaws, May 27, 2012. Zamora wanted to be a corpsmen for the challenge of working with Marines.

“We always tease (Zamora) about being a sailor,” said Lance Cpl. Kevin Wallen, an infantryman with the battalion. “He jokes back and holds his own with the Marines.”

Zamora, a native of Houston, looked forward to proving himself to the Marines. That challenge attracted him to becoming a Fleet Marine Force corpsmen. The FMF corpsmen are navy personnel assigned to Marine units.

“Throughout these 40 years, one thing has remained constant: the vision and mission of ESGR to create a culture of America’s employers and America’s industrial base to support and value the service that their men and women provide our country,” said James Rebholz, ESGR’s national chair.

The last decade of continuous combat and historic natural disasters has tested the reliance on members of the National Guard and Reserves and their employers, revealing both groups’ willingness to make extraordinary sacrifices, ESGR officials said.

Afghan forces, supported by coalition troops, conducted an operation to destroy narcotics production facilities in east Baghran, Helmand province, Wednesday.

The operation was planned and orchestrated by the Afghan forces.

As a result of the operation, Afghan forces seized 310 kilograms (660 pounds) of morphine base and 250 kilograms (550 pounds) of ammonium chloride which is used to refine opium into heroin. They also found 400 kilograms (880 pounds) of lime and 5,000 kilograms (11,000 pounds) of morphine waste along with drug processing equipment.

The chemicals and drugs were destroyed on site.

The operation was completed without any of the Afghan or coalition troops firing a shot or causing damage to civilian property.

by Cpl. Timothy Lenzo1st MarDiv, KAJAKI, Afghanistan – He stands side-by-side his fellow Marines, pours his blood and sweat into his job and sacrifices time away from his family. He lives driven by a will to earn his way in life and appreciate what’s been given to him.

Lance Cpl. Christopher Yudin, a machinegunner with 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, Regimental Combat Team 6, serves in the Corps as a chance to give back to the country where, after a childhood of moving from place to place, he finally found a place to call his own.

Saturday, June 23, 2012

COMBAT OUTPOST LAKARAY, Afghanistan — Afghan Border Police and International Security Assistance Force members participated in Operation Southern Strike II in the Spin Boldak district, June 2 to June 16.

The operation, led by the 3rd Kandak of the ABP, focused on interacting with the local populous as well as disrupting enemy formations in the vicinity of major passes in the area.

“The major areas of focus were the Ganjitsu Pass, then the P’sha Pass and obviously the Wonake or Enjergay Pass,” said Capt. Sean Nolan, commander of Company C, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. “These are the major passes in our area that the enemy uses to push supplies and equipment and men through to support their fight both in the Spin Boldak area and in Afghanistan proper.”

During the operation, 17 insurgents were killed, four suspects were detained and numerous caches of explosives and weapons were discovered.

By C. Todd Lopez, Army News Service, WASHINGTON, June 22, 2012 - As part of an effort to regionally align Army forces with specific unified combatant commands, a Kansas-based brigade will begin serving in March as the go-to force for U.S. Africa Command, Army officials said yesterday.

The Fort Riley, Kan. -based 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, called the "Dagger Brigade," will be the main force provider for security cooperation and partnership-building missions in Africa, according to officials.

The effort is a first step toward fulfilling national strategic and defense guidance that includes military services partnering with allies around the world to build capacity and security capability, officials said.

The 'Dagger Brigade' is the first Army unit to be named in this way for alignment with a combatant command, officials said. The unit will be on deck for their mission for an entire year. The tasking will be to perform security cooperation, when needed, "not operational or regular warfare missions," officials explained.

Gunmen riding on motorcycles have shot and killed eight people at a business in the southwestern Pakistani city of Quetta.

Pakistani police say another person was wounded in the attack on a laundry Saturday in a busy area of Quetta, the capital of restive Baluchistan province bordering Afghanistan and Iran.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

Baluchistan is home to terrorist groups including pro-Taliban factions, and Baluch separatists who are fighting a low-level insurgency in hopes of gaining political autonomy and a greater share of the profits from the region's natural resources. VoA.

Israel's military said Saturday it carried out a series of airstrike in the Gaza Strip, ruled by the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, in response to more than 20 Palestinians rockets that crashed into Israel Saturday. One of the rockets, which brought the week's total to 150, injured an Israeli man in the town of Sderot.

Palestinian medical officials said the Israeli strikes killed two Palestinians and wounded at least 24 others. Palestinians claimed that one of the dead is a six-year-old boy. Israel confirmed it struck multiple targets in Gaza but denied involvement in the child's death.

The violence erupted Monday when gunmen from Egypt killed an Israeli civilian in an ambush along Israel's southern border with Egypt. Two gunmen were also killed in the attack, claimed by an Islamist terrorist group.

In response to the violence, Hamas threatened to break its three-day old Egyptian-brokered truce with Israel that had temporarily calmed violence.

The Israeli government has signaled it does not want an escalation of violence in Gaza, but it also said rocket attacks on Israeli civilians will not be tolerated and will be met with a “painful response.”

Afghanistan

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Ace Of Spades: Why Language MattersIn this article, Ace of Spades demonstrates how the writing style of "journalists" and other writers is purposely used to influence the electorate. He explains this far better than I have been able to do, but this is the foundation of why I could no longer be silent.